Example: tourism industry

Management's role in shaping organizational culture

Management's role in shaping organizational cultureCHRISTINE KANE-URRABAZOMSN, RNNursing Doctoral Student,Texas Woman s University, Denton, TX, USAI ntroductionCulture represents the personality of an organization,having a major influence on both employee satisfactionand organizational success. It expresses sharedassumptions, values and beliefs and is the social gluethat holds an organization together (Trevino & Nelson1999, p. 207). While every organization has a culture , itis sometimes elusive and open to different interpreta-tions. According to Deal and Kennedy (2000), a strongCorrespondenceChristine Kane-Urrabazo1404 Plaza Verde DrEl PasoTX 79912 USAE-mail: C. (2006)Journal of Nursing Management14, 188 194 Management's role in shaping organizational cultureAimThe present study addresses the importance of the manager s role in thedevelopment and maintenance of organizational culture .

Management's role in shaping organizational culture CHRISTINE KANE-URRABAZO MSN, RN Nursing Doctoral Student, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX, USA

Tags:

  Roles, Culture, Organizational, Shaping, Role in shaping organizational culture

Information

Domain:

Source:

Link to this page:

Please notify us if you found a problem with this document:

Other abuse

Transcription of Management's role in shaping organizational culture

1 Management's role in shaping organizational cultureCHRISTINE KANE-URRABAZOMSN, RNNursing Doctoral Student,Texas Woman s University, Denton, TX, USAI ntroductionCulture represents the personality of an organization,having a major influence on both employee satisfactionand organizational success. It expresses sharedassumptions, values and beliefs and is the social gluethat holds an organization together (Trevino & Nelson1999, p. 207). While every organization has a culture , itis sometimes elusive and open to different interpreta-tions. According to Deal and Kennedy (2000), a strongCorrespondenceChristine Kane-Urrabazo1404 Plaza Verde DrEl PasoTX 79912 USAE-mail: C. (2006)Journal of Nursing Management14, 188 194 Management's role in shaping organizational cultureAimThe present study addresses the importance of the manager s role in thedevelopment and maintenance of organizational culture .

2 It describes the types ofcultures that exist and manager characteristics that are essential to facilitating ahealthy many managers do not deny the importance of organizationalculture in employee satisfaction, few fail to realize the direct impact they have inshaping it. It is oftentimes believed that cultures are predetermined; however,this is a false assumption. It is crucial that managers at all levels are aware of theirroles and responsibilities in upholding positive workplace environments that canincrease employee satisfaction. Dissatisfaction is the major cause of turnover andcan have detrimental cost and environmental effects on the critical components of culture ( trust and trustworthiness,empowerment and delegation, consistency and mentorship) are discussed, as is therole of managers in turning these into positive cultural traits.

3 The viewpoints ofseveral authors, such as Stephen Covey, Mark McCormack and Charles Handy, areexplored in relation to the development of organizational culture . Additionaltheories Kanter s Theory of organizational Empowerment , Locke s Goal-settingTheory and the Social Exchange Theory supplement these are always under the magnifying glass, with each actioncarefully scrutinized by subordinates. They must exercise caution when makingdecisions, ensuring that fairness and equitability exists among staff, and that ethicalstandards are upheld on a continual basis. The four cultural components, viewed asmanagerial traits of trust and trustworthiness, empowerment, consistency andmentorship coexist at all times regardless of the type of culture .

4 Managers must putsupport systems and other mechanisms into place that allow employees theopportunity to empower themselves and to flourish, thus increasing their owneffectiveness as well as that of the : culture , employee satisfaction, management, organizations, role of managerAccepted for publication:27 June 2005 Journal of Nursing Management, 2006,14,188 194188 2006 Blackwell Publishing Ltdculture is a system of informal rules that spells out howpeople are to behave most of the time. In a weak cul-ture, employees waste a good deal of time just trying tofigure out what they should do and how they should doit (p. 15). While most managers do not deny theimportance of organizational culture in employee sat-isfaction, few fail to realize the direct impact they havein shaping the culture is strong, managers take the lead inshaping and supporting it.

5 Those who take this ap-proach are called symbolic managers because theyspend much time thinking about the values, heroes,andrituals of the culture , and because they see their primaryjob as managing value conflicts that arise in the ebb andflow of daily events (Deal & Kennedy 2000, p. 141).Several authors have addressed the manager s role indeveloping a healthy culture for his or her organization,and commonalities include the manager s exemplifica-tion of trustworthiness and trust, empowerment anddelegation, consistency and mentorship. These themeswill be discussed in relation to the power/role/task/person cultures within organizations described byHandy (1985).A framework for organizational structureHandy (1985) philosopher, educator, economist andbusiness guru has addressed the organizational phe-nomena that contribute to both the successes anddownfalls of business organizations.

6 His work, whichidentifies four cultures ( power, role, task and person),provides a framework for examining and understandingorganizational culture . Each type has its own uniquecharacteristics, each can be effective, and each can existalong with the others. As a framework for managementwithinhealthcareorganizations, eachofthefourculturescontributes to creating a healthy cultureA power culture is ruled by a central power source, suchas an owner or President, and is most frequently foundin entrepreneurial organizations. Trust and personalcommunication are important characteristics, thus it isimportant for employees to have interpretations of thejob that are similar to those of the leader. Minimalbureaucracy exists, so that staff function with few rules,policies and procedures.

7 While applications withinhealth care organizations have been limited, modifiedapplications could make important contributions to theempowerment of nurses and other staff members inhealth care cultureThe role culture , more familiarly known as a bureau-cracy, is the category in which most hospital organi-zations fall. The strength of role organizations residesin its pillars, its functions or specialties (Handy 1985,p. 190). Each unit ( Emergency Department, Laborand Delivery, Medical-Surgical Services) is a pillarsupporting the organization. Policies and procedurescontrol the organization, and employees operate basedon job descriptions. There is a narrow band of and if the separate pillars do their job,as laid down by the rules and procedures, the ultimateresult will be as planned (p.)

8 190). Advancementwithin this type of organization is predictable, and theuse of a clinical ladder as a staff evaluation tool cultureIn a task culture , the focus is on a particular job orfunction. Although health care organizations currentlyoperate largely within the context of a role culture , taskcultures are often developed simultaneously. This cul-ture aims to assemble the right people with the rightresources, so that a job can be accomplished. This maybe in the form of action committees, which meet for aspecific purpose ( scheduling and staffing issues),and then disband when the task is complete. Not only itis possible, but also it is quite common for a health careorganization to have its core culture (role), in additionto an underlying subculture (task).

9 Person cultureThe person culture , which is uncommon, exists onlyto serve and assist the individuals within it (Handy1985, p. 195). While a health care organization cannotexist solely on this idea, there may be some appro-priate applications. One prime example is within ahospital s mentoring system. Initially, the student ischiefly concerned with acquiring the personal skillsnecessary to survive in a particular workplace, whilethe mentor may only be serving in that capacity inorder to earn points on a clinical ladder towardspromotion. Each is gaining something from the situ-ation. While some actions may be promoting staffinterests and growth, these are supported with hopethat the ultimate outcome will aid in the enhancementof organizational goals, such as shifting away from apersonal culture and towards one of more unity, suchas the role or task culture 2006 Blackwell Publishing Ltd,Journal of Nursing Management,14,188 194189 Management's responsibilitiesThere is no one omnipotent culture .

10 What works thisyear may not work in the next. Every hospital systemmust operate according to its policies and procedures,regardless of whether they are profitvs. non-profit orpublicvs. private. As there is a systematic process tohealth care delivery, it is safe to assume that hospitalorganizations have a role culture at their core. Thecultures of task and person frequently exist as well. Toenhance what is accomplished, integrating the powerculture might be given increased consideration by healthcare organizations. While these types of cultures mayseem to be predetermined, in no way does that meanthat the manager is off the hook. On the contrary, it isthe responsibility of all levels of management to facili-tate a positive workplace environment.


Related search queries